Kumbh Mela Begins in India

Largest Religious Festival Begins

Hindu devotees bathe in the waters of the holy Ganges river during the auspicious bathing day of the Maha Kumbh Mela, Jan. 14, 2013, in Allahabad, India. The Maha Kumbh Mela, believed to be the largest religious gathering on earth is held every 12 years on the banks of Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati.

Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

Largest Religious Festival Begins

Hindu devotees bathe in the waters of the holy Ganges river during the auspicious bathing day of the Maha Kumbh Mela, Jan. 14, 2013, in Allahabad, India. The Maha Kumbh Mela, believed to be the largest religious gathering on earth is held every 12 years on the banks of Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati.

Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

Largest Religious Festival Begins

A Hindu devotee pushes an offering into the waters of Sangam, the intersection of the holy rivers Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, during the Maha Kumbh Mela, Jan. 15, 2013 in Allahabad, India. The Maha Kumbh Mela, believed to be the largest religious gathering on earth is held every 12 years on the banks of Sangam.

Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

Largest Religious Festival Begins

Hindu priests perform during an aarti ceremony on the banks of the Ganges river during the Maha Kumbh Mela, Jan. 15, 2013, in Allahabad, India. The Maha Kumbh Mela, believed to be the largest religious gathering on earth is held every 12 years on the banks of Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati.

Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

Indian Hindu holy men celebrate in the water at Sangam, the intersection of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, at the start of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Jan. 14, 2013. Before daybreak, a day chosen by astrologers as auspicious, hundreds of gurus, some brandishing swords and tridents, ran into the freezing waters for the first bath, signaling the start of the festival.

Kevin Frayer/AP Photo

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

A Sadhu, or Holy Man, comes up after dipping in the waters of the Sangham during the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, Jan. 14, 2013. One hundred million Hindu pilgrims are expected to take part in the large religious congregation, which falls every 12th year and lasts more than 50 days.

Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

Indian Hindu devotees pray at Sangam, the intersection of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, at the start of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Jan. 14, 2013. The Kumbh Mela will see up to 100 million worshipers gather over the next 50 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings.

Kevin Frayer/AP Photo

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

A devotee has river water poured over his head at the waters edge at the Sangham in the early morning at the Kumbh Mela celebration in Allahabad, India, Jan. 13, 2013.

Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

Devotees walk into the waters at the Sangam, the intersection of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during day break at the Kumbh Mela celebration in Allahabad, India, Jan. 13, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims led by naked, ash-covered holy men streamed into the sacred river Ganges at the start of the world's biggest religious festival.

Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

Indian Hindu women dry saris after taking a bath at Sangam, the intersection of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, ahead of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Jan. 13, 2013.

Kevin Frayer/AP Photo

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

Naga Sadhus, or holy men, walk in a procession towards the Sangham to bathe before sunrise during the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Jan. 14, 2013.

Sanjay Kanojia/AFP/Getty Images

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

Indian Hindu holy men, or Naga Sadhus, celebrate in the water at Sangam at the start of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Jan. 14, 2013.

Kevin Frayer/AP Photo

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

A young Indian vendor walks with a basket of marigolds on the banks of Sangam, the intersection of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, in Allahabad, India.

Sanjay Kanojia/AFP/Getty Images

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

Hindu holy men, or a Naga Sadhus, return to their camp after a dip at Sangam, the intersection of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, on the first day of the Maha Kumbh Mela, in Allahabad, India, Jan. 14, 2013. The festival takes place every 12 years, and has its roots in Hindu mythology.

Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP Photo

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

A Hindu holy man watches others as they wait for a dip at Sangam on the first day of the Maha Kumbh Mela, in Allahabad, India, Jan. 14, 2013.

Manish Swarup/AP Photo

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

An Indian Hindu priest offers blessings to devotees at Sangam at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Jan. 15, 2013.

Kevin Frayer/AP Photo

Kumbh Mela: Largest Religious Festival

An Indian Hindu holy man, or Naga Sadhu, prays while taking a dip at Sangam during the royal bath on Makar Sankranti at the start of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Jan. 14, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims led by naked, ash-covered holy men streamed into the sacred river Ganges at the start of the world's biggest religious festival.